Kimberly-Clark Corporation $KMB Position Lifted by Viking Fund Management LLC

Viking Fund Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NASDAQ:KMB) by 16.3% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 186,000 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 26,000 shares during the period. Kimberly-Clark accounts for about 1.5% of Viking Fund Management LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest holding. Viking Fund Management LLC’s holdings in Kimberly-Clark were worth $18,122,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new position in Kimberly-Clark during the second quarter valued at $223,668,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 3.5% in the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 595,464 shares of the company’s stock worth $65,364,000 after buying an additional 20,300 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE grew its position in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 3.3% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 6,881,641 shares of the company’s stock worth $755,398,000 after buying an additional 219,742 shares during the period. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al bought a new position in shares of Kimberly-Clark in the 2nd quarter worth about $34,869,000. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp increased its stake in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 612.5% in the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 205,588 shares of the company’s stock worth $19,833,000 after acquiring an additional 176,733 shares in the last quarter. 76.29% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Kimberly-Clark

Here are the key news stories impacting Kimberly-Clark this week:

• Positive Sentiment: EU approval removes a major regulatory hurdle. The European Commission conditionally approved Kimberly-Clark’s roughly $40 billion acquisition of Kenvue after the companies addressed competition concerns in tampon markets in the Czech Republic, Estonia and Slovakia. This reduces uncertainty around closing, although the required remedies could limit some deal benefits. Kimberly-Clark, Kenvue Win Conditional EU Approval for $40 Billion Tie-Up
• Positive Sentiment: Financing and integration preparations are advancing. Kimberly-Clark secured the required consents for amendments to Kenvue’s debt terms and reported early participation in exchange offers involving up to $7 billion of new Kimberly-Clark notes. The progress supports execution of the transaction and helps clarify the financing process. Kimberly-Clark Announces Successful Consent Solicitations for Kenvue Notes and Amendment to Terms of Exchange Offers
• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America issued a Buy rating. The recommendation provides a positive counterpoint to recent concerns about growth and leverage. Kimberly Clark Gets a Buy from Bank of America Securities
• Neutral Sentiment: Operating performance is proving resilient despite slower consumer-category growth. Productivity initiatives, product innovation and market-share gains are helping Kimberly-Clark maintain volume and mix, but the broader slowdown limits near-term growth potential. How Kimberly-Clark Navigates Slower Growth Across Consumer Categories
• Negative Sentiment: Debt and dividend risks are weighing on the investment case. Analysts and investors are concerned that the acquisition could substantially increase leverage, while free cash flow may provide only thin coverage for Kimberly-Clark’s long-standing dividend. TD Cowen cut its price target to $97 and maintained a Hold rating. Kimberly-Clark’s Dividend Streak Faces Pressure

Kimberly-Clark Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:KMB opened at $99.41 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $102.95 and a 200-day moving average price of $102.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.45, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.69. The company has a market capitalization of $33.06 billion, a PE ratio of 16.91, a PEG ratio of 5.02 and a beta of 0.25. Kimberly-Clark Corporation has a 1-year low of $92.42 and a 1-year high of $123.09.

Kimberly-Clark (NASDAQ:KMB) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported $1.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.01 by ($0.21). Kimberly-Clark had a return on equity of 143.92% and a net margin of 11.79%. The firm had revenue of $4.19 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.22 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.92 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Kimberly-Clark Corporation will post 7.35 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kimberly-Clark Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 4th were issued a $1.28 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, September 4th. This represents a $5.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.2%. Kimberly-Clark’s payout ratio is 87.07%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on KMB. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Kimberly-Clark from $115.00 to $116.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Seaport Research Partners upgraded shares of Kimberly-Clark to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Piper Sandler decreased their target price on shares of Kimberly-Clark from $121.00 to $118.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Kimberly-Clark from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, Freedom Capital upgraded shares of Kimberly-Clark from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Kimberly-Clark presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $116.50.

Kimberly-Clark Profile

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NASDAQ:KMB) is a global personal care and consumer products company that develops and markets essential products for consumers and professional customers. Its portfolio includes products in the baby and childcare, adult care, feminine care, facial and bathroom tissue, and household categories.

The company’s well-known brands include Huggies diapers and wipes, Kleenex tissues, Kotex feminine care products, Cottonelle and Scott bathroom tissue, and Depend and Poise adult care products.